Sunday, September 04, 2005

SDLP Builds links with FF on European Affairs

The Sunday Business Post reports that "several of the SDLP's members of the Northern assembly will attend the Fianna Fail ‘think-in' and will meet party MEPs Sean O Neachtain, Eoin Ryan, Liam Aylward and junior minister for Europe, Noel Treacy. The meeting will focus on closer cooperation between the two parties on matters relating to the European Union. The SDLP lost its only MEP when John Hume retired although, partly through Hume's influence, European peace funding continues to flow into the North. The presence of the SDLP delegation is evidence of growing links between the two part i e s . There have been suggestions in recent years about a merger between the two in the North and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said that he would like to see Fianna Fail having a 32-county presence."